Vietnam Delegation Visit: briefing

Meeting report

FOREIGN AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
27 August 2003
VIETNAM DELEGATION VISIT: BRIEFING

Chairperson: Dr Z P Jordan

Relevant Documents:
Vietnamese Parliament Delegation: country profile

SUMMARY
The Vietnamese delegation stated that the purpose of their visit was to build and strengthen relationships between South Africa and Vietnam.. The delegation wished to establish a foundation for friendship cooperation between two Parliaments, especially on fields of economic, trade, culture and technology. A brief introduction to the Vietnam Parliamentary System was conveyed by the delegation. Racial unity was emphasized as the key to success.

Discussion
Dr Jordan stated that the visit was from the Vietnam Parliament to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the South African parliament. The Foreign Affairs committee was a multiparty committee.

Mr V U Mao, Member of the Standing Committee of Vietnam's National Assembly, Chairman of External Relations Committee of Vietnam's National Assembly (equal to Deputy Prime Minister level,) said it was an honour to lead the delegation and he proceeded to introduce his delegation.

Dr Jordan said that Vietnam had a special place in the hearts of the government because it was a developing country and their heroic fight for independence. The government was thankful for the contribution of Vietnam in the independence struggle in South Africa. The meeting today was to be used as the beginning of the building and strengthening of relationships between the two countries. The relations between the two parliaments was a good basis to start the relationship. South Africa had a particular not unique but exemplary experience that had to be shared with the world because there was value in the South African experience.

The centrepiece of South Africa's foreign policy was the African continent but they had realised that the African continent worked in a global world and in an increasingly small planet. The fact was that the arrival of freedom and democracy in South Africa was the culmination of independent struggles and the crowning moment of African liberation struggles. South Africa's struggle had attracted moral, political, social support of the rest of humanity and the victory and crowning moment of the international community against the scourge of racism. During the first two years of the new millennium South Africa hosted the World Conference against Racism and World Summit on Sustainable Development which were both important landmarks for shaping the course of foreign policies in the 21^st century.

South Africa was specifically concerned with the African continent taking its place among the committee of nations as inspectors and more importantly as international players. In light of this spirit South Africa had played an important role in devising NEPAD with other African countries. South Africa would welcome the participation of Vietnam and other Asian countries in NEPAD. South Africa was interested in building and developing synergies amongst developing countries so that in the World Trade Organisation, the United Nations, the Non Aligned Movement and international foray developing countries would have a stronger voice in the globalised world economy. Like other developing countries South Africa was looking forward to the WTO meeting in Cancun in Mexico.

Mr Mao gave a brief introduction on the parliamentary system in Vietnam. The National Assembly had a unicameral parliament of 500 members with 61 different provinces. There was a delegation of deputies to National Assembly with one council for Ethnic minority groups and several other committees. The council for ethnic minorities was valued highly because Vietnam had 54 minority groups and they had realised that racial unity was a key to success. The National Assembly met twice a year and it had three main functions legislative, supervisory and socio-economic issues.

The National Assembly's supervisory body was very important. The supervisory roles involved all the different areas of National Assembly and government. Although Vietnam had been independent for 60 years the parliamentary system still needed development with pressing issues such as land adding to the problems.

Discussion
Ms F Hajaij (ANC) said that in regards to Vietnam wanting to join the WTO by 2005, South Africa would assist because it was the only system that could govern world trade. The figures of imports and exports showed more exports to Vietnam from South Africa than imports from Vietnam to South Africa. This was an area where they had to remedy the evenness in trade relations. Why were there no women in the Vietnamese delegation. How many women were in the politburo, the central committee of the Communist Party and the National Assembly of 500 members. Secondly the figures showed a significant opium crop. Knowing the problems of drug abuse why was it happening and what was it being used for.

Mr Mao stated that the delegation had made a mistake by not bringing in any women. He explained that there had been two women as part of the delegation but they had declined due to various reasons. There were eight women if the Foreign Affairs committee which had a membership of 33. There were 27,8% of women in their National Assembly which was lower than South Africa and in western Europe. Vietnam was the eighth highest country in the world regarding women in parliament and first in Asia. There were no women in the Politburo and 15% were women in the Central Committee of the Communist Party. The Vice President of the country was a woman with their being twenty ministers. It was an Internal Affairs issue to increase the numbers of women participants in elections. Opium growing had been an issue for the last ten to fifteen years. They had attempted to stop the growing of opium by giving land and financial assistance to encourage a change of profession. Opium trafficking was still a big issue with the Supreme Court having to deal with many cases on the issue.

Mr B J Tolo (ANC) said that the South African struggle had inherited and implemented many things from the Vietnamese struggle and they were the reason that they were sitting there today. He asked about the one party state in Vietnam. Situations were different but what was the current situation? Was the one party state representative of all the people in Vietnam?

Mr Mao said that different countries had different histories and different political systems. Sixty to seventy years ago Vietnam had a multiparty system but many of the parties had individual interests as opposed to the people's interests at heart. The Communist Party (CP) had done a lot during Independence and after victory in 1975 they were the only party that had existed. The political system did not matter as long as there was increased democracy and equality in the country. Vietnam did have the National Front which included different sectors who were not party representatives but rather group representatives like women, youth, farmers, trade unions and the like. The CP was one entity in the National Front. Vietnam had a multivoice system as opposed to a multiparty system. Regarding parliament they had 61 provinces and representatives from these within the system promoting and hearing different voices in the country. The promotion of democracy in a country did not state only one party.

Mr M Ramgobin (ANC) asked about the Council of Ethnic Minorities. Did the Vietnamese Constitution say Ethnic Minority Rights or was it like the South African Constitution which said Human Rights instead of Minority Rights. In the South Africa constitution there was an institutional committee of religions, languages and cultures which protected the rights of individuals. What did the Vietnamese constitution say in respect to minorities?

Mr Mao said that the Vietnamese constitution had many provisions concerning the rights of minority groups concerning the preservation of languages and written languages. There was a very comprehensive Ethnic Minority policy with the Council of Ethnic Minorities having a supervisory role of implementing the law in practical terms and dealing with violations of ethnic minorities.

Mr G B D McIntosh (DA) asked about the substantial Vietnamese communities living in exile in France, the United States. What had been the response of the new government and how were they financing or visiting the country? What was the view on the Vietnamese Diaspora.

Mr Mao said that the Vietnamese overseas community was seen as part of Vietnam. There had been a policy to encourage exiles to return and invest in the country. There were three million Vietnamese living abroad and their contribution to the country was highly valued. There had been many different levels of lifestyles and ideas that differed from each other. The majority of the overseas community supported the government. There was a small minority that still had a bad feeling about the government after the war where they had moved to the US in 1975. They were also facing problems with minorities in Vietnam who had bad memories of the government because of the war.

Mr W J Seremane (DA) asked about the drug problem and the maximum punitive measure for drugs and about the unemployment situation in Vietnam.

Mr Mao said that there was a legal framework to deal with drugs and there was a heavy penalty for drug trafficking. Drugs were not only a problem in Vietnam but it was a problem across the neighbouring countries and it was difficult being located near a country that grew opium. Unemployment in Vietnam was a serious issue in the country because Vietnam was an underdeveloped country. They were decentralising their system and moving towards a market economy so unemployment was a big problem.

The meeting was adjourned.